Many individuals are increasingly utilizing wireless communication devices to receive media content from media servers over wireless networks. For example, a user of a wireless communication device may request audio, video, text, and other data from a content provider. When the user of the wireless communication device requests content from the content provider, the requested media is typically transferred from the content provider to the communication device via the wireless network for the use or enjoyment of the user.
The bandwidth of a wireless network can vary depending on the type of network. Therefore, media content received over one type of wireless network, such as a third generation (3G) wireless network, can be in a different format, quality, and file size than the corresponding content accessible over a different type of network, such as a fourth generation (4G) wireless network. For example, a wireless communication device may receive a standard definition video file when connected to the 3G wireless network, but receive the same content in a larger, high definition video file when connected to the 4G wireless network.
Progressive download is one technique used to deliver media content to a wireless communication device. Using progressive download, a wireless communication device stores the media file on a memory system of the device as it is received, and begins to display or play back the media file prior to the download fully completing. Progressive download differs from streaming content in that the entire file is downloaded locally, as opposed to only a small amount of the file at any given time that is stored in a temporary playback buffer when streaming.